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A Textbook Example of International Price Discrimination

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Listed:
  • Christos Cabolis
  • Sofronis Clerides
  • Ioannis Ioannou
  • Daniel Senft

Abstract

We investigate differences in book prices between the United States and other countries. We find that general audience books are similarly priced internationally, but textbooks are substantially more expensive in the United States (often more than double the price). This disparity is much more pronounced for commercial publishers than for university presses. We argue that supply-side factors like cost and market structure can not explain this phenomenon. We discuss several demand-side explanations; our preferred theory is that higher US textbook prices reflect the unique status of the textbook as a centerpiece of US college instruction.

Suggested Citation

  • Christos Cabolis & Sofronis Clerides & Ioannis Ioannou & Daniel Senft, 2005. "A Textbook Example of International Price Discrimination," University of Cyprus Working Papers in Economics 3-2005, University of Cyprus Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucy:cypeua:3-2005
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. K.C. Fung & Alicia Garcia-Herrero & Francis Ng, 2013. "International Price Dispersion and Market Segmentation in Japan and the United States : Theory and Empirics," Microeconomics Working Papers 23410, East Asian Bureau of Economic Research.
    2. Cabolis, Christos & Clerides, Sofronis & Ioannou, Ioannis & Senft, Daniel, 2007. "A textbook example of international price discrimination," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 95(1), pages 91-95, April.
    3. Bachis, Enrico & Piga, Claudio A., 2011. "Low-cost airlines and online price dispersion," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 29(6), pages 655-667.
    4. Belleflamme,Paul & Peitz,Martin, 2015. "Industrial Organization," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781107069978, January.
    5. Martin Falk, 2011. "International Price Differences in Ski Lift Tickets," Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics (SJES), Swiss Society of Economics and Statistics (SSES), vol. 147(III), pages 303-336, September.
    6. Allen Molina & Jungho Baek, 2015. "Analyzing Factors Affecting U.S. College Textbook Prices: An ARDL Cointegration Approach," Review of Economics & Finance, Better Advances Press, Canada, vol. 5, pages 35-42, May.
    7. Stole, Lars A., 2007. "Price Discrimination and Competition," Handbook of Industrial Organization, in: Mark Armstrong & Robert Porter (ed.), Handbook of Industrial Organization, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 34, pages 2221-2299, Elsevier.

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